The RTS Genre
A Vision of Warzone II * Or...... * RTS as it Was, Is and Could Be.... * Essentially 2 Dimensions of gameplay suffice to define RTS. * 1.) Player Perception RT- Control over World Building (heretofore predominantly 3rd PPOV) * 2.) Player Perception RT- Control over building & Commanding Armies on the Field of Battle.(heretofore predominantly 3rd PPOV) * Within the scope of that definition you can have the prevalent copy-cat mediocrity of the last 6-years with the occasional minimal variant or * I posit that RTS can subsume FPS, RPG, & RT Tactical without violating RTS's essential character. * WHY do this ? * Because the RTS paradigm has grown stale & its fan base severly diminished such that the genre as a whole is, by any metric, been marginalized in the greater gameing community. * Also - it would be loads of FUN ! * AND - It can be done elegantly. * HOW ? - You'll have to enter the magical spaces of this "New Content Community" for reams of foundation & innovative game design. :) * BTW: The reverse is NOT possible or desirable, methinks... * To wit - neither FPS, RPG or RT Tactical can inturn subsume RTS. * Ergo, RTS can resurge as more of an equal to FPS, RPG & RT Tactical in fan base #'s like it has NOT been able to for the last 7-8 years. * Lastly - '''WZ2''' can spearhead this enhanced RTS design paradigm for it is ideally positioned to do so & has the requisite potential already imbeded in its Code ReDev architechtonic.. * KEY: * POV = point of view * RT = real-time * Rman Jack[[User:Rman Jack|Rman Jack]] 19:11, 1 Feb 2005 (PST) Feedback on this Opinion "Earth 2160": 4th Installment * Check-out the preview, screen-shots & movie..... * This RTS has the GFX chops of "HL2" !!!! ('''Physics Engine''') * And they go to MARS !! (among other planets) * Tasty Preview [URL=http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/earth2160/preview_6119443.html]HERE[/URL] * Due out May - June '05 * Wonder how they've evolved their "Earth Script"... & architecture since "E:2150" & the "MP". * Talk about diehards.... these guys & gals that have been working on the "Earth" series since 1997 when their 1st DOS installment "Earth: 2140" was released. * And now this 4th installment - 4 + years in the making... * Beside "Earth Script", the state of the art GFX to rival premier FPSs, the new architecture... * I have to wonder - how have they addressed "Infantry" & most importantly the "Game Logic" & secure MP. * They surely were not rushed to market.... forced to release a fundamentally flawed game. On "E:2160 "Brothers in Arms" & "Officers" * Those of you who have been round for a while will remember: * The "GCI" or Global Command Interface related to * The "General Avatar Unit" which was integrated with new * "Rank & Experience" mechanisms. * Well.. * I have seen the 1st Gen Iteration of the "GCI" in a new game called: * [http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/brothers-in-arms/592505p1.html Brothers In Arms] * And NOW I see that the "General Avatar Unit" with the integrated "Rank & Experience" Mechanisms is being implemented in an RTS under development called: * [http://www.gameshark.com/?a=news&id=13307 Officers] * Talk about mixed feelings... * Oh well..... they have yet to put them all together..... * Which can be done ..... as many of us know who explored this deeply in the context of a WZ II.... * It does make one feel that our explorations where not just pipe-dreams or bullchit that would never see the light of day. More On "Brothers" * If you like to command with basic maneuve tactics - fix, suppress, flank, assualt - "Brothers" is the bomb. * The GFX, sound, physics, authenticity, immerssion.... all that is top of the line... * But for me it's the Command & Control..... * Your the commander, you have your avatar, you deploy tactically your sep Fire & Assault Groups useing the command interface with "Situational Awareness"..... * The "SA" is sweet.... it's based on a very simple premise...... part of your intel as a ground commander is studying topographical maps.... combine that with your engagement LOS... For me the whole deal is a more true to life "Fog of War". Comments on "Brothers" More on "Officers" * One the last items discussed in extensive detail in the "Rank & Experience" thread was "Threat Analysis". * I could see no other way to tie everything together into an elegant workable whole without devising a "Threat Analysis" Schema. * So ..... that's what capped-off that discussion with the factors & math delineated. * I just found out that the "Officers" RTS has "Threat Analysis" !!!! * It's some sort of "Algorithm" that they've come up with that they are being real hush-hush about for fear of being ripped-off before the game is released. * Me thinks there is much compatibility with "Officers" & its developers I'm inclined to explore, esp. now. * What was it Mark Twain said..... oh yea... * "History doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme...." Comments on "Officers" "Galactic Civ 2" BETA * Developer "Stardock" will be going into Beta with their award-winning space strat game "Galactic Civilization 2" in a couple weeks. * If your interested: [http://www.galciv2.com/Forums.aspx?ForumID=161&AID=68214 Go Here] * "Stardock" also has a facinating application that takes '''Modularization''' to a new benchmark. * It's called '''DesktopX''' and basically you can create widgets, desktops, independent programs (gadgets) in a matter of hours !! * More details: [http://www.stardock.com/products/desktopx/pr_dx30.html HERE] * "Stardocks" approach to modularization is intrigueing & goes to the heart of core-concepts articulated for the '''WZ Source ReDev''' strategic goals. Thoughts On Other Strat Games=